Incendium
by sweetlittlething
Summary: And before either could even stop it, that small spark of attraction for one another had grown into a wild fire neither could control. They were in love. - Korra/Iroh, AU.
1. Incendiary

**A/N: **Hi! I don't own Legend of Korra, nor any of the characters!

Argh, I'm so frustrated x_x I have like, 5+ Korra stories I'm currently working on or planning, and like 5+ other stories from other fandoms that are yet to be finished. Damn it Korra, why you gotta be so good at being shipped with other characters! And why not with the characters I actually _want _you with? Anyway, canon Korroh next (thank god), so no more AUs (hopefully). Please review, I hope you enjoy!

And I'm so sorry that I didn't name Zuko's daughter Honora! I actually tried to, but I felt so silly naming her that x_x Please understand, I ship that name as a canon name, but it was too inappropriate for my fic's context. Like, Zuko's Daughter would go, "Call me Firelord Honora," and I would fall apart from there. So I checked and the general consensus after Honora is "Ursa".

Oh, and Iroh will be there next chap, just not now! He's gonna get a dramatic entrance! Oh yeah, and the chapter title's significant. Watch as it evolves other the progression of the story X)

**Summary: **In order to celebrate the great legacy of the Fire Lord and the Avatar's union ever since the conclusion of the Hundred Year War, a move to have the new Avatar taught Firebending by the Royal Family themselves is made.

**EDIT 21/12: All punctuation, grammar and spelling errors have been fixed by the wonderful _IloveStBerry! _She's been a BIG, BIG help to me and has inspired me to keep writing, so please shower her with some love for her great work! :)**

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**Incendium**

_by sweetlittlething_

**Chapter One: **Incendiary_  
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Incendiary (adj.) - _Capable of catching fire, deliberate __  
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Korra felt the boat shudder as it set off from the port, eyes darting around as she kept her knees-drawn-to-chest position. A few hours ago, never would she have anticipated leaving her South Pole home so soon, nor in such a manner as_ this_. The Order of the White Lotus had been insistent on preventing the transportation of Avatar Korra out of the safety of her compound, a direct motion of defiance against Avatar Aang's wishes they'd argued, but Katara would have none of it. A firm believer in tradition and celebrating the legacy of her late husband and the previous Firelord, the Master Waterbender had announced it time Korra begin her journey into the world she would be protecting and serving. And so, aged 17, Korra departed from her sheltered life back in the South and begun her epic venture into the world beyond.

Korra had already mastered Firebending, which was the purpose of her travels today. The motive behind her deportation was an important one, more so than simply extending the Avatar's bending capabilities. It was about honour, and peace, and continuing the legacy of Zuko and Aang. Korra shut her eyes as she reflected on how she had gotten here, in the hull of a Fire Nation ship in the first place. As she shut out the world around her, her thoughts began to wander.

Ever since the conclusion of the Hundred Year War, a great celebration had been established in honouring the memory of the two most important contributor's to the new era of peace: the Avatar and the Firelord. Avatar Aang and Firelord Zuko had, together, united the Nations as one and restored balance and harmony into the world, working together to eradicate discord and injustice. Korra felt her lips curve into a smile. The story of the two and their adventures had always been her favourite as a child.

And now, the world was set on _continuing_ their legacy. Firm on preserving their good relations and connection with the Avatar, the Royal Family of the Fire Nation had insisted upon hearing the birth of Korra, that when the time came, they too would serve the Avatar just as their previous Firelord had.

And now that promise was set to be fulfilled.

_"When she finishes her Firebending training,"_ the Firelord had instructed, her gold eyes gleaming as news that the new Avatar had been reborn reached her ears,_ "tell her keepers' this: We shall have her taken to the Fire Nation, under our behalf, and we will teach her the ways of _Our_ Firebending, of how to produce _real_ fire._ That,_ is how we will show our thanks to the Avatar."_

Korra finally opened her eyes as she gulped once more. Why was she so nervous about the whole thing? She was the _Avatar_, and as much as she was excited to even further develop her Firebending skills, which were great enough as they were, she was also worried. What was the Fire Nation Royal Family like? The Firelord, who she'd heard from Sifu Katara was an extremely powerful and ruthlessly ambitious woman for her Nation? Korra was supposed to be _civil_ with them, _friends_ even. Korra steeled herself. If Avatar Aang, a young Air Nomad, could become friends with the Fire Nation's greatest Firelord, who was once his greatest enemy, surely she could too.

That didn't make the worry any more smaller.

Perhaps the greatest thing that gnawed away at her insides was the fact that she was finally going_ out_, finally given the freedom to venture _out_ into the _world_. All her life, all she'd ever known of the world she would be serving was that it was filled with snow and ice and bitten by chilling winds and winters. Korra felt a surge of excitement propel through her body as she contemplated the world beyond ice and snow. Of course she loved her home in the Southern Water tribe, but what was the world like beyond that? Was it lush with trees? Or was it barren and empty, stripped of any natural residue?

"Oh Naga, it's all right," Korra soothed her polar bear dog gently, the mammal giving a whine as the boat yet again gave another shudder. Korra had been adamant on having the domesticated beast come with her, stubbornly refusing to go lest her animal companion come too. All her life, Korra had had Naga by her side. Naga was, essentially, Korra's one and only friend.

Korra gave a stretch as she finally stood up, pacing around her room. When the Fire Nation ship arrived, some of the older people had tensed, apprehensive and pointed at the sight of the once ominous ships. Long ago, as Sifu Katara had explained, the long, burgundy, elegant ships topped with pagodas producing black billowing smoke had been a symbol of invasion, of sieges and destruction. Long ago, those ships had burned houses to the ground, had taken families away with them. Now, the ships meant nothing but strength and majesty, harbouring no ill-intentions. Still, it took a little time for many who had suffered because of them to get used to the idea.

Korra had been awed by the sight of it as soon as it had pulled into port. To her, the ships were the epitome of strength, of _power._

They were freedom, and also presented a new chapter in her life.

_"Now be careful, do you hear me?"_ Senna had told her wholeheartedly, as she pulled her daughter into a tearful embrace._ "Don't talk to anyone you don't know, don't go down any dark alleys either. And be on your best behaviour when you meet the Firelord, will you?"_ Senna told her firmly, pulling her daughter at arm's length to stare her right in the eye. _"I don't want you causing any trouble, do you hear? Keep that temper of yours in check. And remember your _manners_, Korra,"_ she chided lightly, giving her daughter a stern look, _"you're staying with royalty now."_

_"Yes mum,"_ Korra had sighed good-naturedly, as Senna gave her daughter one last tearful glance before pulling her back into her arms. _"My little Korra, all grown up,"_ the older water tribe woman had whispered mournfully, proudly, _"I'm going to miss you."  
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_"I'll miss you too. The both of you."_

_"Stay safe,"_ Tonraq had added, as he enveloped the both of them into one huge hug. Korra had shut her eyes, inhaling the scent of her parents, the scent of home. They were finally parting ways, and she was growing up.

The price for freedom was harder than she thought.

Commandeering the ship was Katara's oldest son, Commander Bumi. A wild and loud man who Korra was sure had been sipping a_ little_ too much cactus juice, the Commander had been enthusiastic and ecstatic upon meeting her, cheering her up instantly after having to leave her family. Though he was essentially a United Forces man, as was the ship, he belonged to the Fire Nation division. The Commander had apologised, stating that the Royal Family were occupied in other more trying matters and were sorry that they couldn't be there to pick her up themselves. Nonetheless, Korra's spirit remained undampened. She had never travelled in a ship before, no less one as extravagant and luxurious as the one she was currently in. When Korra had been ushered to her own room, she gushed. Never had she lived in such finery.

So here she was now. Sitting on her double poster bed, staring into the wall blankly. The room was overwhelmed by bold reds and crimsons, highlighted by golds. Korra had marvelled at the room's beauty. If _this_ was what a Fire Nation ship's interior looked like, she couldn't wait to see what the palace had to offer.

A knock to the door. _"Avatar Korra,"_ Bumi's voice bellowed in from the other side, _"are you there?"_

Korra got up and stood to open the door. "Yes, I'm here. Is everything all right?" she called back, as she unbolted the door.

"Yes, everything's fine," Bumi grinned as the door cracked open to reveal his brown smiling face, "I just wanted to let you know we'll be arriving within three hours. Might I suggest you use this time to get some rest? That hag of a Firelord is going to be working you all day as soon as you arrive," Bumi spoke, howling with laughter as Korra gave a smile in return.

"Thanks Commander," Korra responded, stretching her taut muscles as she gave a long yawn, "I think I might just do that." And, with Bumi finally leaving her to the comfort of her own privacy, Korra collapsed onto her bed, and promptly did so, dreaming of brilliant golds and reds and a land unknown.

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"Wake up, Avatar! We're here!"

Slowly, Korra cracked an eye open, only to be assaulted by vivid reds and golds once more. _What time was it?_ Korra thought as she rolled over, giving a groan. She had been dreaming of the ancient dragons and fire, brilliant, luminous multi-coloured tongues of fire.

It had been a rather pleasant dream.

"Come on, Naga," Korra urged her animal, waking the slumbering polar bear dog up with a pat to its white fur. Instantly, Naga perked up, ears alert as she rose to her hackles, Bumi's distant shouts and howls occupying the silence that ensued. After having reattached Naga's saddle, and giving herself a quick once-over in the mirror to make sure she was at least _presentable_ for the Firelord and her family, Korra opened the door, and, leading Naga right behind her, advanced towards the exit.

"Avatar Korra!" Bumi greeted her, beard and hair messy as usual, his bright red uniform askew, as Korra squinted into the brightness that permeated the hull of the ship, the opening to a new world, her new _life_. "May I present to you..."

Wordlessly, Korra moved past him and stepped into the sunlight, her heart hammering, blue eyes wide, breath caught...

_This is it..._

"... the Fire Nation," Bumi finished dramatically, as Korra stepped out of her past and into a whole new world.

_This...this is..._

For once in her life, the usually loud and outspoken Avatar was rendered speechless as the world stopped to greet her.

It was...

_beautiful._

"Welcome, Avatar Korra," a woman around the age of Bumi greeted her, giving a small nod of the head, curved lips ruby red and eyes a molten gold, as Korra stood there, just _stood there_, too enamoured in the wonder of the world surrounding her to reply back, let alone give a bow of acknowledgement,

"Welcome to the Fire Nation."

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The Firelord had quickly become one of Korra's most favourite people in the world within minutes of meeting her.

Beautiful, refined and poised, everything Korra herself was sure she was not, the Waterbender could only file the wizened Firebender into the ranks of Sifu Katara and her own mother as the young girl's eyes stayed glued to her, the effortlessly graceful woman the epitome of perfection. Every time she talked, it was as if she was commanding an entire fleet herself. The woman was powerful and elegant and quite frankly a _queen._.. it was little wonder why so many people both revered and respected the woman before her.

"We hope you had a comfortable journey, Korra," the Firelord remarked as a group of guards bowed in respect to both of them as they passed by, "how did you find our ship?"

Korra launched into her response, eager to pay her appreciation to the older woman, "Oh yes, it was great! The ship was amazing! Thank you so much for your hospitality, Firelord..."

"Ursa," the woman supplied thoughtfully, stopping for a moment in her tracks, before giving Korra a small smile, "you may call me Firelord Ursa, if it pleases you."

"Oh," Korra blinked, a light blush dusting her dark cheeks, "Thank you then, Firelord Ursa," Korra returned, giving a bow and a small smile herself.

"We hope you weren't discouraged by that brute of a man in charge of your transportation," Ursa continued, as Korra looked up at the proud woman's face once more, "whilst it was our wishes to have attended to you personally ourselves, matters in the palace have been rather...distracting, lately. Forgive me for leaving you with that insolent hog monkey, Korra," Ursa spoke, turning to address the young Avatar wholeheartedly, "we hope he was not _too_ much of a handful. Though he _is_ rather trying on our patience at times, Commander Bumi really_ is_ a genuinely esteemed and capable officer," the Firelord attempted to reconcile, whilst Korra raised a hand, shaking her head.

"Don't worry about me," Korra reassured her, blue eyes sincere whilst the Firelord appeared slightly startled, "Commander Bumi did an excellent job in overseeing my travel here. I only wish I could've slept a little longer," Korra laughed, before the Firelord graced her with yet another small smile.

"That is good," Ursa replied, relieved, features more relaxed, "your comfort and happiness is important to us, Avatar Korra. Ever since my father's friendship with your predecessor, we have wasted no time in forging just as strong a bond with you. We hope you do not mind," Ursa said politely, as Korra felt another dizzying smile grace her face._ This isn't so scary after all._

"Not at all!" Korra declared cheerfully, her face radiant with joy and happiness, "I'm actually rather excited about all this. Tell me, when do we begin our Firebending lessons?" Korra asked eagerly, all formalities melting away as excitement and enthusiasm took over.

Ursa smiled to herself, before shaking her head softly. She couldn't _wait_ until her son met the young and bright Avatar.

_Oh Iroh, how I cannot wait for the moment when you meet the young girl..._

"Training will begin soon," Ursa promised, as Korra's face lit up once more, "but beforehand, let us show you to your new room."

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Korra stared, utterly flabbergasted and amazed.

If the room in the ship had been fit for a king, this room could be defined as nothing but fit for a _god._

"We hope..." Ursa managed uncertainly over the younger girl's shoulder, as Korra stood there, frozen and still, "it is to your liking?"

A few more seconds of silence stretched on before Korra turned back to the Firelord, quiet and speechless.  
"This room..." Korra started, voice low, worrying the Firelord greatly, "... is amazing!" Korra exclaimed, practically giving a shout as she accidentally sent bursts of fire with her fist pumps from over-enthusiasm, the Firelord caught between feeling bemused and reprimanding the child or being delighted by her enthusiasm. "Thank you so much, Ursa!" Korra cried, barely able to contain the grin stretching across her face.

"We are glad you think so," Ursa replied, keeping her composure in the sight of the overhyped child, "rest assured, your polar bear dog will have similar accommodation in the stables close by," the Firelord reassured the Waterbender as Korra gave a silent thanks of appreciation back through yet another smile.

The room was, in all honesty,_ magnificent._ Once again characterised by its blatant overpowering prevalence of reds and golds, the room was as big as her whole compound itself, the cold, ebony marble tiles serving as the floor whilst the walls were a deep-set burgundy. Draped across the walls were several scarlet-red tapestries embroidered with gold, their stitchings of great dragons and lion turtles telling a story not even Korra could begin to comprehend. The bed, of course, was a regal four poster bed that Korra was sure she would have no trouble sleeping in. The giant rug on the floor was a beautiful crimson, once again embroidered with elaborate gold detailing, and the remaining furniture in the room were all carved out of a beautiful mahogany wood. Korra could not help but feel overwhelmed at the luxury of her new surroundings. Although she had always loved the humble yet homey atmosphere of her home, the young Avatar could not help but indulge in the grandness of her new room either.

A few minutes in, and already Korra's new life in the Fire Nation seemed promising.

"We shall be holding a banquet in honour of your arrival," Ursa mentioned, as she moved to draw the giant russet drapings to let the light pour in from the enormous window. "The banquet will commence after your training for the day has finished. Since it is a formal occasion, I advise you to dress well. The whole world shall be anticipating you there, young Avatar," Ursa stated, as Korra gave a cringe. Immediately, the Firelord was upon the girl's choice of expression like a hawk. "Is something the matter, Korra?"

"No, not at all!" Korra quickly reassured the older woman, her grimace indicating otherwise, "it's just that, I don't really have anything to wear..."

The Firelord did not appear to be fazed by this at all. "In that case, we will have no reservations in supplying you the corresponding gowns then. Tell me, what colour would you like your dress to be? Red? Black?"

Korra blushed, fidgeting slightly before turning to face the intimidating woman. "If... if it's all right, could I ask for a blue one? A water tribe dress, maybe?" Korra had always taken pride in wearing her Nation and ancestry loud and proud. If Ursa did not approve of it, well...

The Firelord appeared thoughtful for a moment, her gold eyes flickering in contemplation before they finally settled into their usual intense, sophisticated selves once more. "We will scour the whole of the Nation, and plea to every tailor within our reign until we find a suitable water tribe gown for you. Is that all right?" Ursa asked, as Korra felt her face bloom into a cheered smile.

"We've only been in each other's company for a little under an hour," Korra remarked quietly, "but you've already done so much for me to be grateful for. Thank you," the water tribe girl bowed deeply, sincerely, staring the woman right in the eye unflinchingly, "really, I mean it. Thank you."

Ursa remained quiet, before smiling once again. _Just like Father said,_ Ursa thought fondly, remembering those talks she would share with her father about his adventures with the Avatar back in the day, _they're so full of life and vitality. The embodiment of life itself._ "Of course, Avatar Korra. We are meant to be friends, are we not?" the Firelord said, as Korra's blue eyes gleamed like sapphires. "Now come," the Firelord gestured, as Korra swiftly discarded her parka onto the bed, "now it is time.

Let us show you how a _real_ Firebender fights."


	2. Spark

**A/N: **Hi! I don't own Legend of Korra, nor any of the characters!

Sorry to keep you all waiting! May I just say the response has been **_overwhelming_! **Thank you, thank you all so much !

Okay guys, for a more clear idea of the dress: it is Korra's dress in Episode 4, but slightly modified. Rather than that pants-like thing she had for a bottom, I made it a skirt. I also added a fur wrap, 'cause Korra deserves it ~ hope that helps!

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**Incendium**

_by sweetlittlething_

**Chapter Two:** Spark

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Spark (n.) - _One resulting from friction, a sudden flash of fire.__  
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"General, we've just received a message from your mother," the young man heard over his shoulder as he kept his golden eyes trained out on sea, arms folded behind his back expectantly. It had been a safe and uneventful sailing back home, needless to say, the young Firebender had always been dedicated fully to his job, even now keeping a close eye on any signs of suspicious activity.

"What is it?" he called back calmly, basking in the warmth of the sun as he heard a shuffling of paper behind him.

"Firelord Ursa says," his second-in-command responded, as the young General waited patiently,

_"'Come... back... home... quickly... We... are... waiting... for... you..."_

"Is that all?" he inquired, as polite and respectful as always to his fellow men. They were due to arrive later that day, surely he had alerted mother already? Though she was always very pleased for him to come home, she never really did seem so urgent or eager at his arrival, trusting his swift efficiency in coming back safely whilst she busied herself with other more pressing matters. Certainly, her sending out a message to him to come home was rather out of character.

Noticing the silence stretching by, the esteemed Firebender finally allowed himself to turn around, addressing his subordinate fully. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"

The man shaking his head, the lieutenant finally looked up at the General, eyes wide and mouth agape. Intrigued by what his mother had said that could of possibly shaken his comrade to such a point of disbelief, and also feeling a twinge of worry that something far more devastating had happened that he hadn't anticipated, the General braced himself, tense and ready.

"Tell me, Lieutenant. What happened?" he ordered commandingly, attempting to remain as composed and unaffected as possible.

"General," the man finally whispered, looking up at the young man in disbelief, as the young Firebender willed himself to remain calm, "your mother, she says..." he trailed off, quivering in something akin to either intense fear or disbelief. The sight of him was enough to stretch the young General's anxieties all the more, despite his convincingly calm and collected façade.

"What? What did she tell you?" he asked once again, this time much more urgently, panic threatening to seep over. If anything had happened...

"She says," the man spoke, looking down at the paper in doubt before looking up again, "the Avatar has arrived."

And for once in his life, General Iroh allowed his perfect façade of stoicism to slip.

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"All right, let's get straight into it!" Korra shouted giddily, shooting a stream of fire into the air as she leapt up. Korra had never felt more _alive_, more excited in her whole life! Finally, she was doing it! She was unlocking her true potential as a Firebender, and as the Avatar!

"Korra!" Firelord Ursa instantly reprimanded, as in the way a mother turtle duck would nip at her young whenever they became too rambunctious. Instantly, Korra stifled her eagerness, shrinking back as the woman's golden molten eyes glared into her own. "Firebending is not just simply about 'power' or 'destruction'! It involves discipline, and control!" Ursa stated commandingly, emphasising each and every one of her words. "To begin, we will start off with the fundamental breathing exercises."

Korra felt her excitement dampen significantly as the grin slipped off her face. _Oh boy, here we go._

"Listen," Ursa said, moving into stance as Korra mimicked perfectly, albeit rather reluctantly, "a wise man once told me '_Firebending comes from the breath, not the muscle._'

"Firebending may appear wild, and deadly, and it is so. But Firebending, the _true _Firebending," Ursa told the younger girl patiently, as her eyes reflected a fire not even Korra could begin to explain, "is an ancient art only mastered by those who can cast away rashness and recklessness, who can accept the fire as a part of them and remain unafraid of the possibility of it burning them. 'Fire, is the element of _power_'," Ursa breathed, her eyes alight with distant memories, "but you cannot achieve power without realising what true power is."

"I... I never thought of it that way," Korra admitted truthfully, staring at the palm of her hand reflectively as Ursa gave a small chuckle.

"Do not worry yourself. Just as you did, my father too, as well as even the previous Avatar himself experienced difficulty in mastering the true nature of Firebending in their youth. But this component of Firebending _is _essential," Ursa said, as Korra's eyes shone the truest of blues, lips parted in wonder, "and even the smallest of sparks can create the biggest of fires. At least, that is what my son always said, when he underwent this ordeal," Ursa smiled, thinking back to fond memories.

"Your 'son'?" Korra suddenly blinked, both surprised and confused. Never had she taken into account the possibility that the Firelord had a child, no less a _son. _Korra's imagination suddenly ran wild. Firelord Ursa was a beautiful woman, and her father Zuko had been recounted as just as attractive as well. Was Ursa's son as beautiful as them? Korra's cheeks darkened significantly. Why was she even thinking about such a silly thing anyway?

Upon hearing the girl's tone of disbelief, as well as noting the pink now dusting the girl's cheeks, Ursa let out another laugh, smirking with amusement. "Yes, my son. I believe you'll be seeing him, just in time for the banquet. Mind you, he's a bit of a stiff one, always playing the perfect prince," Ursa confessed almost huffily, "but underneath that he's rather amusing really. Just like you." Ursa added, giving the girl a good-natured pat to the head and stifling her laughter as the Avatar literally jumped out of her skin.

"What..." Korra began, stumbling for words, "what's his name?" she finally managed, blinking innocently as yet another worry-inducing smirk traced itself across the Firelord's lips.

"Why don't you ask him when you meet him?" Ursa remarked carelessly, secretly stirring in her deviousness and amusement at the Avatar's curiosity.

Korra couldn't help but pout grouchily at the Firelord's lacklustre response. Really, the Firelord was being so coy, so ambiguous! It irked Korra to no end!

"Korra?" Ursa interrupted gently, one eyebrow raised delicately, "shall we resume our training?"

"O-of course! I was just curious, was a-all!" Korra quickly clarified, flustered and bewildered. "... One more question," Korra quickly slipped in, "what does he look like? Is he as beautiful as you, Firelord Ursa?" Korra suddenly blurted out, cheeks flaming as her embarrassment shot skyward.

Ursa had to restrain the grin that now threatened to tug at her lips. She had to hand it to the girl, Korra certainly was rather... _direct_. Attempting to remain unfazed by the Avatar's brutal flattery, Ursa shut her eyes, feigning total and utter nonchalance. "I suppose you'll have to see for yourself, isn't that right?" she replied, calm and composed as Korra's face shut down with frustration and disappointment. "Now enough of this idle tarrying. Let us begin our Firebending lesson, shall we?" Ursa suggested, her tone of finality instantly shooting any further hopes of the Avatar to pry more answers from her.

Noting Korra's grim face, Ursa allowed a small smile of success spread as she began her breathing exercise.

_What an interesting child she is... yes, the meeting between her and Iroh should prove rather a most _fascinating _encounter, I should think..._

And just like that, the sparks of curiosity and idle attraction had been lit.

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It had been two hours since their Firebending session had properly begun, and already Korra could feel the striking differences between her previous training and her current one. Certainly, her masters back in the White Lotus were more than capable in teaching her the basics in Bending, but this... _this _was different, better in ways she could never have imagined. The thought of the Firelord's son long gone from her mind, Korra focused fully on the Firelord's teachings, now attempting to apply it to the small flame in her hands. Their breathing exercises had taken a full hour, when back in the South Pole it had only taken a few minutes, but already Korra could feel the difference. Here, her flames were stronger in some way, better. Where she had previously generated her fire with reckless abandon, here she did it trying to harness the power of her heat from her core rather than converting it all into dangerous power. When understanding had dawned on her face, Ursa smiled, praising the girl lightly.

"You see Korra," Ursa imparted, as Korra gently released the fire flickering in her hands, "Firebending has been so feared because it has been taught to be used with hate, anger and rage. But Firebending, _true _Firebending," Ursa continued, creating her own flame, to Korra's utter surprise, was _blue_, "is not generated by such emotions. Firebending, Korra," the Firelord explained, as Korra gazed at the fire in wonder, "is generated by _power. _Not the power used to defeat the innocent, or the type corrupt politicians hunger for, but the determination to overcome a task, no matter how difficult the odds. Many Firebenders have distorted this idea, ruining it and twisting it into a pathetic shell of its former self. But Bending, in any form, is not fully achieved through things such as hate and anger. Bending, just like fire, must be understood as something capable of destruction, but also fundamental in _life _itself." The blue flame suddenly flared, threatening to burn everything it touched, but vanished instantly, Ursa's palm empty. "_That,_" Ursa finished, "is what Firebending is about."

"Woah..." Korra managed in her stupor, as Ursa swiftly turned away.

"All right then, we should be done within a few minutes for the day. We will round off today's lesson with fifty sets of hot squats followed by ten sets of fire fists. Tomorrow, we will commence some sparring to see what you already know and what we can further improve." Ursa took a moment to give a quick look over the young Avatar, before a smile settled onto her face. "By the end of this, I am sure you will be a greater Avatar than ever before, perhaps even a greater Firebender than your predecessor himself," Ursa commented lightly, whilst Korra's face bloomed with another blush.

"Thankyou, Firelord Ursa..." Korra bowed appreciatively, feeling renewed and refreshed. Firebending... she had never before comprehended what a complex, what a _sacred _art it was. Suddenly, to even _Bend _fire seemed almost like a privilege, an honour undeserved.

"Of course, Avatar Korra," Ursa bowed slightly back, her face still very much in its elegant small smile, "now, begin on your hot squats.

Tonight, we shall celebrate."

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The hot squats had taken longer than expected, and the fire fists had made her biceps hurt like Angi knew no end of it, but the young Avatar remained undeterred in her drive to accomplish the arts of true Firebending, eagerly grinning as she padded out of her personal bath. How she had never known the true beauty of Firebending until now Korra did not know, but already she was anticipating their next lesson, her brown muscles taut for more and her eyes flashing in enthusiasm. Her stay in the Fire Nation had been better than she thought. If not for Waterbending, she may have even been so bold as to say Firebending _was _her favourite out of all of them.

Patting her body down with the towel provided, Korra extracted the water out of her hair via Bending and immediately set to work in preparing for the big banquet ahead of her. Earlier, during her training, the Firelord's servants had slipped in just as Ursa had promised and filled the wardrobes with several different outfits, ranging from casual Fire Nation garments to even an elaborate dress shipped straight from the Earth Kingdom. What lay on Korra's bed, however, astounded the girl severely.

There, laid out on the bed, was a beautiful Water-tribe gown.

Korra had gasped as soon as she had spotted it, dropping her towel and forgetting all modesty as she clutched the dress to her breast, admiring it greatly. Whilst she was admittedly usually unaffected by boys and girlish things like marriage and fashion, Korra could not help but swoon and marvel at the elegance of the gown. The dress... it was just _perfect_. When Korra held it against her, instantly she was reminded of her home across the South seas, of the land of ice and snow. Closing her eyes briefly, Korra drifted back to the beautiful brown skin of her people and their hauntingly-breathtaking blue eyes. Oh, how she missed them terribly.

The dress was a phenomenon, crafted by the high spirits themselves. Composed of a blue that Korra could only liken to the sparkling seas of her home, the dress was sleeveless, consisting primarily of a cheongsam-like upright collar and a beautiful jewel embedded right where the collar ended, resting just between her collarbones. Fitted around the waist was a white ribbon which connected to the skirt, form-fitting and blue as ever. Accompanying the dress, just to match, was a snow-white pelt of the softest fur Korra had ever felt manufactured into a stole, completing the elegance of the dress. Korra twirled around in her room as she hummed a cheerful tune.

The dress was enough to soothe her of all her troubles.

Slipping it on, and pulling on an appropriate pair of shoes she had uncovered in her now bursting wardrobe, Korra could not help but smile as she gazed at her reflection, feeling more than elated at her outfit. It wasn't so much that she was _beautiful; _Korra couldn't care less about such a trivial thing, but the significance the dress held. For one, it coincided with her fierce love for her home. And second of all, it showed the great devotion the Firelord had to respecting and actually _listening _to her thoughts and wishes, something which Korra held no reservations in doing just the same back.

"Excuse me, Miss Avatar," a voice echoed politely from the other side of the door, "the Firelord requests your presence in the guest hall. She says the banquet is due to begin any moment now. When you're ready, if it pleases you madam," the voice continued, Korra feeling her heart drum in excitement, "I shall escort you there."

Korra gave herself one last steely gaze in the mirror, staring intensely into the blue eyes reflected back at her as she quickly released the tie upholding her ponytail. _This is it, Korra,_ she told herself steadily, taking a deep breath, _this is the time the world meets you: their Avatar. __  
_

_Don't blow it._

And so, shooting herself one last determined smile to her reflection, Korra exited the room and joined her escort, her heart racing as her excitement peaked to a new high.

.

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.

Iroh was late, that much he could discern from the lively music already playing and the jubilant conversing going on below. His journey had taken a little longer than he had expected, but as soon as he had reached land the young Firebender had instantly leapt off his ship, propelling himself via Firebending until he had finally reached the palace. _Home. _Heart pumping, the young General had sprinted to his room to get changed, the festivities having already started without him. Inwardly, Iroh had cursed himself as he slipped into a cleaner version of his military uniform, fastening every button and straightening every polished medal. The scolding from his mother would be _endless._

Needless to say, as soon as he had arrived, his mother swooped in on him right away.

"I see _you _certainly took your time," he had heard her curt, dry voice state behind him as he smiled politely at the passing girls who giggled bashfully in response. "Especially even after I had specifically _told _you not to come late."

Inwardly, Iroh winced as he forced out another smile at another interested girl, already dreading the wicked punishment to come for his tardiness. His mother, whilst as soft-hearted and loving as his Grandfather at times, could quickly taken on the fierce temperament of his Grand-Aunt Azula as well too. It was what made her such a fearsome, such a beloved leader. "I know," Iroh grinded out in a low mutter as he gave a sweeping bow to one of his superiors in the United Forces, "I tried, but..."

"Enough," Ursa cut him off, her voice thunderous yet quiet at the same time as Iroh cringed visibly this time, his smile pained, "I'll deal with your incompetence later. Right now, however," his mother's voice suddenly rose, Iroh now feeling nervous at the _smirk _he could practically see painted on her face right now, knowing well enough now that his mother's smirks were never a good sign, "I have a far more pressing matter for you to attend to.

The Avatar, for instance."

Right on cue, Iroh felt himself stumble as he quickly regained his composure, head swimming madly. _The Avatar!_ Mentally, Iroh face-palmed himself. How could he have been so _careless _to forget that of all people, _the _Avatar was here? Slicking back his dark hair into its usual perfection, Iroh tried to studiously ignore his mother's not so subtle sniggers at his antics, his gold eyes now roaming across the room.

Where was she?

.

.

.

The Avatar had never felt more out of place in her life. Sure, she certainly _did _enjoy talking to people and having a good time, but _this... _being stuck in a room with hundreds of strangers all staring at her, _whispering _about her was quite frankly not Korra's idea of fun. Especially when she felt like an awkward turtle-duck whilst everyone else was a pretty little raven eagle.

Secretly, Korra wished she hadn't attended at all. Her entrance had been grand enough, her giving a decidedly odd but adequate speech about how she was ready to serve the world (just unsure of _how _yet) deemed decent by the polite applause of the crowd, but as soon as Ursa had drifted from her side, everything had fallen apart from there. So here she stood now, awkward and terribly alone.

There had been several people she'd had the pleasure of meeting. Hiroshi Sato, for one, wealthy inventor of the Satomobiles. He'd seemed friendly enough, even informing her of himself having a daughter around her age that he was sure Korra would get along well with. Frankly, Korra had appreciated the sentiment, but had politely declined his proposal to go and befriend his beloved daughter. His daughter, a beautifully elegant girl, seemed rather busy anyway, and Korra wasn't really in the mood to talk.

Then there was the politican from Republic City, a Northern Water-tribe man who went by the name Tarrlok. Tall, intimidating, with something slightly seedy about him and his deceptively deflective smile, Councilman Tarrlok was an imposing presence who spoke in words of civility and poised elegance. Korra hadn't liked him at all, and had just as quickly avoided further conversation with him as he had wasted no time in approaching her.

And so, her night continued on, stifling and chokingly unbearable. She was so _bored_, was this what the Avatar was expected to do? Was this their idea of fun? For Korra, fun was going penguin-sledding or even some good old fashioned sparring matches. Not _this. _This, with the forced polite exchanges and the prying eyes. _This _was no fun at all.

Korra had tried earlier socializing with some girls that looked to be about her age, their painted faces and elegant robes painting an inviting image as she made the move to approach them. What had first seemed like an intriguing opportunity to make friends amongst a crowd of politics and civil exchanges Korra had realised to her utter defeat, had quickly become one of idle useless words and fake pleasantries. As soon as Korra had introduced herself to the slender, delicate girls, it became blatantly obvious that these girls were not in the mood to discuss Pro-bending or what it was like living in the Fire Nation. Instead, it went like this:

_"So, do any of you guys follow the Pro-bending back in Republic City? I heard it's pretty amazing," Korra had started cheerfully, her face lit with excitement and enthusiasm. Pro-bending had _always _been a passion of hers! Surely these girls must have felt the same way, right?_

_But instead of vigorous nods of agreement, all Korra was met with was well-controlled disdain, their noses wrinkling at her make-up-less face and odd, almost boyish antics._ This _was the Avatar? Surely the Avatar should have been more... _elegant. _Instead of the beautiful Waterbender they had expected with flowing brown hair and the grace only a goddess could muster, there in front of them was a muscled, ill-mannered, outspoken teenager with the daintiness of a hog-monkey to match. Needless to say, they were not impressed._

_ "'Pro-bending'?" one of them sneered, as Korra's face fell. "What in Agni's name would we have to do with such a barbaric sport? It is _so _uncultured," the girl complained, as Korra's shoulders sagged slightly._

_Her night was not going as well as planned after all._

And so, any futile hopes of Korra making friends tonight had quickly flown out the window from that point, leaving her to a disappointing state of loneliness. Though the Avatar hated to admit it, she hated being left on her own, abandoned in her solitude as she watched the world move by her. That, she supposed, was the reason she hated being confined to the White Lotus Compound for so many years.

Korra felt unsettled.

_I've got to get out of here, _Korra told herself anxiously, peering over the crowd to search for the nearest exit. _Ah-ha. There, _she concluded with a small smile of success as she began to slip through the crowd, eyes focused on the door. Just a few more steps and she was closer to freedom - !

"Korra!" a voice called over the crowd, as Korra swiftly turned her head to address the voice. It was a familiar voice, one that reminded her of wisdom and inner-peace. Korra's eyes widened when she saw him. A blue arrow and orange-yellow clothes. Korra let out a small gasp.

"Tenzin!"

Of _course _he would be here! He was one of Republic City's council-members, attending the official début of the Avatar would definitely be one of the imperatives on his agenda! Korra mentally berated herself as she turned to walk over to him. How could she have missed them? Even from where she stood, amongst the crowd, little Ikki's and Meelo's giggles could be heard, the both of them obviously up to no good. Jinora and Pema were probably here too.

Korra felt a feeling of warmth bloom in her chest as she gently moved through the crowd towards the tall Air Nomad. _Now this is more like it, _Korra thought in relief as she felt another brush of fabric against her bare arm, _now if I could just -_

"Korra!" Tenzin shouted once more, snapping her out of her thoughts, "look out!"

But it was too late. For just as Korra had swiftly turned to determine what exactly she was meant to 'look out' for, it was too late by then. A collision of bodies, a gasp of surprise, a groan of pain, a sudden brush of heat and the thud of two bodies collapsing on the floor was all that occupied the young Avatar's mind as she found herself rushing to the floor, the sharpness of red fabric being the last thing she saw before she shut her eyes in dread.

And when she opened them, gold.

Just pure, beautiful, mesmerizing gold.

.

.

.

"Are you the...?" a low, husky voice rumbled from beneath her, as she felt her palms press against something hard and broad. Korra's eyes widened when she realised what it was. A chest! She was on top of - !

"I'm so, so sorry!" Korra began, as she became very, _very _aware of the eyes all pinned to her now, watching her as she made a fool of herself. Korra felt her cheeks bloom with shame and humiliation. This man! She didn't care if he had the nicest eyes she'd ever seen (vaguely reminiscent of the Firelord for some strange reason), he had made a fool out of her and she had only been the official Avatar for a few hours now! How dare he!

"The Avatar," the voice rumbled pleasantly beneath her, as her cheeks remained as hot as ever, eyes still pinned to the enchanting gold gazing right back at her, "I've been looking all over for you. And to think, never would I have anticipated our first meeting to start off as this..." he chuckled uncertainly, as Korra felt the indignation swell in her chest. Laughing? When she felt like such a fool!? It was unacceptable!

"Well," Korra began hotly, feeling her temper flare as her hands pulled off from his chest to cross over her chest pridefully, "if you hadn't walked _into _me, none of this would have happened! I'm - "

"Forgive my manners, Miss Avatar," the voice suddenly cut in fluidly, as she felt the body beneath her, the body she was _straddling_ (much to her utter horror), rise up slightly beneath her to regard her, eye to eye, "I've yet to properly introduce myself.

I'm General Iroh, of the United Forces," he began, as Korra rose slightly off him, eyes now fully taking in the ink black hair, the immaculate uniform, the slight _smirk _in his eyes, "and the future Firelord," he commented, as Korra's eyes widened, one hand flying to her mouth in surprise, a whole different kind of _heat _licking away at her insides and cheeks, his gold eyes meeting her own blue steadily,

"it's a pleasure to meet you, Avatar Korra."

A spark.


	3. Heat

**A/N: **Hi! I don't own Legend of Korra, nor any of the characters!

**A BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! AND SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER!**

Please forgive me, this chapter is_ incredibly bad,_ but only because I rushed to update because I felt guilty :( many of you have waited so patiently for this, so I'm sorry to disappoint. I may edit/scrap this chapter later, I just don't feel happy with it. But all of you waited MONTHS for this, so here is a present :) I hope you enjoy, because nailing Iroh's personality was so difficult... oh well, hope I did okay._  
_

I hope all of you had a great holiday, I know I did :D I promise I'll work harder on updating, things have been _hectic _this years with studies, co-curricular, and just general _life _issues, but it's summer holidays here in Oz so I'm hoping to progress on as well as resolve my works. So don't worry about Incendium being abandoned, it's not! I swear I'll finish it eventually :)

Also,a big **shout-out **in particular to **ILoveStBerry****! **She has been a great help and friend to me, editing/revising previous chapters as well as just encouraging me to update this story! So please shower her with your love! She has been a fantastic inspiration to me, and I am so glad to have a reader as lovely as her :) Thanks so so so much, **ILoveStBerry**!

Of course, I love all my other readers as well, so **THANKYOU SO MUCH TOO! **Honestly, all of you are what make writing such a pleasure, I mean, sure it's fun writing your ideas for all your beloved OTPS, but when you have people to appreciate it it just makes the process _that _much more enjoyable! Thanks readers, and sorry again! I will not fail you! I hope you will continue to support me, through good and bad! :D

**Next Chapter: **_Burn_, to be released soon! (I promise!) + with _guaranteed sizzlingness!_

* * *

**Incendium**

_by sweetlittlething_

**Chapter Three:** Heat

_._

_._

_._

Heat (n.) - _The sensation or perception of warmth or hotness.__  
_

_Intensity, as of passion, emotion._

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"The United Forces'... General?" Korra murmured dazedly for the umpteenth time that night, hair now slightly askew as she folded her hands neatly in her lap, feeling fluttery yet slightly unsettled at the same time. "I can't believe it..."

_"I'm General Iroh, of the United Forces..."_

_"It's a pleasure to meet you, Avatar Korra..."_

Even now, Korra still couldn't fathom the mysterious yet enchanting enigma that was known as the Firelord's son. His immaculately-pressed uniform, his ebony hair, even those damnable, detestable, glorious golden eyes... frustratingly, Korra felt her mind twist in knots as her cheeks bloomed with warmth against the evening breeze. Everything about him fascinated her, eliciting emotions and reactions from her she wasn't quite sure how to deal with nor entirely explain. Not to mention of course, the worrying heat pooling within the pit of her stomach and the mad beating of her heart that existed even now, much to her dismay...

Needless to say, the young General had certainly made an impression on the young Avatar.

A good one or not, Korra still wasn't sure.

She wasn't sure _why_ she was reacting this way, or the reason _why_ it was bothering her so much_. _Even after retiring to the palace gardens as soon as the young and disarming Iroh had been forced to excuse himself from her company due to a group of his superiors suddenly demanding his attention, the young Avatar _still _couldn't get him out of her mind. The way he looked, the way he sounded, the way he conducted himself, the way he made her _feel..._ everything about Iroh startled Korra, simultaneously frustrating the feisty teen whilst captivating her at the same time.

To Korra, he was like _fire_: dangerous to handle, yet thrilling and alluring at the same time.

_Dangerous,_ with the way he made her feel.

_Alluring, _with the way his gold eyes still managed to effectively _dance_ into her consciousness and into her heart, leaving an undeniable, indescribable _want _within her.

And most importantly of course, that small _spark _that Korra had felt, as soon as he had uttered a single word to her.

She hated it. She, who had always been so incredibly _certain _on everything, so irrevocably strong-willed and self-assured her whole life, had so easily been reduced to a state of chaos and confusion all because of some stupid United Forces General, who also happened to be the Firelord's son, who _also_ happened to be _incredibly _attractive and _incredibly _charming; _all _of which had happened under the span of_ five minutes _at most.

Not that she'd ever admit it out loud.

It wasn't easy for Korra to deal with these emotions. Being in the White Lotus Compound had certainly sheltered her from entering the world as the Avatar unprepared and disadvantaged, but it had also hindered her as well: hindering her, through the fact that as a teenage _girl, _as _Korra,_ and not as the Avatar, she had never been able to experience things so typical to others her age. Things like romance, and hardship, and confusing feelings such as those which she currently had now. Childishly, Korra almost wanted to _blame _the General for doing this to her, for effectively shattering the delicacy that was her naive and sheltered existence.

And yet, she wanted more and more of that spark, lusting for it in the way she felt the thumping in her chest continue to pound away, and the way her mind still _refused _to make sense of the young man who was responsible for all this, nor dare discard him from her attention.

That spark, which now, was irreversibly responsible for another phenomenon licking away at the Avatar's very being.

_Heat._

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"So, Iroh," the young General heard a voice crack the air quietly, mirthfully, as he felt his eyes close shut in anticipation for what he knew was going to happen next:

"How did you find the Avatar?"

Forcefully, Iroh felt himself suppress a groan as he set his cringe into a stern, stoic frown. This conversation, he had knew, was inevitable, but deep, deep down he had still had a tiny,_ tiny _insignificant wish that hope against hope, it would manage to be somehow avoided amongst the party, which had ended quite some moments ago.

But that was pure nonsense.

Bracing himself for what was to come, stiffly, mechanically, unhappily, Iroh felt himself turn around, only to meet a pair of tell-tale golden eyes gleaming with both amusement and danger against the dimness of the room.

Inwardly, he groaned once more; this was _not _going to be good.

"Well?" his mother urged impatiently, ruby lips struggling not to set into a triumphant smirk as he vaguely contemplated the idea of simply propelling himself out of the room as an alternative to dealing with another of his mother's intrusive interrogations. "How did you find her?"

"Well," Iroh began, arms folded behind his back, "I..."

_She had eyes as blue as Yue Bay, skin as brown as the earth. She looked to be no more than 18; and despite her tough, rough, hot-headed exterior, within her Iroh could sense a certain teenage vulnerability, the type often accompanied with youth that eventually blossomed into self-confidence and sureness as they went along. __  
_

"She seems..." he trailed off, "... very interesting, to say the least..."

_She was sort of volatile in a way, her temper as unpredictable as the Fire Nation's volcanoes themselves: one moment, she was berating him for knocking into her, the next she was blushing like a demure maiden at the way he apologized and the way he helped her up. And when he had to pardon himself, just after a few seconds of lifting her onto her feet, she seemed just _slightly _disappointed... and of course, that _spark _he felt as their eyes met, the air charged all around them, buzzing..._

"... quite lively..." he continued, as Ursa's lips just s_lightly_ quirked at the corners, "... and a little bit uncomfortable in social situations such as parties, but she seems like a very strong and capable young woman who I am sure is also fitting the role of Avatar quite well. Why do you ask?" he inquired politely, already dreading the answer to come.

"So you_ like_ her," Ursa concluded, with a satisfied tone that Iroh knew he could not argue against. By now, he was becoming wearier and wearier of his mother's games to interrupt anyhow or attempt to dissuade her from whatever little tirade she was currently on. Given no protest, she continued: "Yes she's quite the young Avatar, isn't she... nothing at all like her predecessor... oddly enough, despite her Waterbending parentage however, she seems to have taken an extreme liking to our home and our way of Bending. She should be quite the addition to our household the next couple of weeks, wouldn't you agree?" the wise Firelord remarked diplomatically, deliberately keeping her tone even and neutral as she noted her son's slightly wary expression. Oh, how she_ loved_ to tease him.

"You know," Ursa went on, intentionally turning her back towards the baffled General and towards the crackling fire that had been lit, "when I informed the Avatar about you, she considerably perked up," the woman reported almost casually, as Iroh stiffened immensely. "Wanted to know your age... what you were like... if you were any good-looking at all..."

"And?" Iroh urged tersely, hesitantly, unsure of what direction the conversation was heading. "What did you tell her?"

"Oh, you know," Ursa replied nonsensically, briefly reminding Iroh of his grand-aunt Azula's famed calculative deceptiveness once more, "not much... just that you were proficient in Firebending... and that you are an utter stiff, always having no fun and being an utter_ all work and no play_, type of boy..." she trailed off boredly, as Iroh resigned himself to a pained grimace and furrowed brow. All his life, his mother had always made it a point in poking fun at his rather serious nature, from the the time when he was still very young; preferring the company of both his grandfather and General Bumi whom he would whittle away the hours discussing global-issues and history rather than entertain the trivialities of other children, to even now at 23 years of age, where he fully immersed himself in his role as both Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and the esteemed United Forces General. It wasn't that he wasn't necessarily a _fun _sort of person, many noble girls and his fellow United Nations men could vehemently attest to _quite _the opposite; it was just that lately he didn't have as much time as he liked to do so. The youngest General of the United Nations took his responsibilities very seriously; just as his grandfather had.

In short, General Iroh really didn't have time for things such as "fun".

"Mother," the young Firebender finally spoke, the older woman's eyes glimmering at his defeated expression, "why exactly are you telling me all this? All about..." he paused, running his fingers through his usually impeccable hair, "... the Avatar?" he finished, as his mother burst into a small chuckle.

"Oh, Iroh," Ursa smiled, turning around only to fondly pat the cheek of her now taller, but still so youthful son, "do not worry yourself so much. You are still so young and yet it seems like you have forgotten how to just _relax _every once in a while. Learning to smile would be something I would worry about now for yourself, wouldn't you agree?" the Firelord suggested jovially, as her son merely shut his eyes and sighed. That was the thing with Iroh; no matter how talented or skilled he may be as a Firebender and future leader of the Fire Nation, her son had much to learn in terms of actually _living _his life and having _fun._ That was what she hoped to achieve from her little scheme between him and the Avatar, amongst other things she couldn't quite divulge just yet.

"Anyhow," Ursa continued, finally letting go of him and turning away once more, "it is getting late and I believe it would be best if we both retire to our rooms now. It has been a long day; I am quite certain you'll need your rest for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Iroh prompted, instantly sharpening up as he pinned her with his illustrious gaze. "What's tomorrow?"

"Oh, did I not tell you?" Ursa asked innocently, as Iroh felt a sense of foreboding wash over him. "Tomorrow, you shall be joining us for Firebending training," she proclaimed cheerily, sweeping her long dark hair to one shoulder. "Does that not sound enticing to you?"

"_Us?" _Iroh repeated, now feeling extremely drained and just about ready to crawl into bed. "Who is 'us', exactly?"

"The _Avatar, _you dragon-moose," Ursa teased cheekily, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She shall be training with us tomorrow, and _you _will be joining, no exceptions," she quickly asserted, just before Iroh could hastily complain that he had paperwork to do and documents to oversee. "Perhaps we shall even have a mock Agni Kai if she advances enough; she _is_ a quick learner, that one," the Firelord appraised casually. "She takes to our Bending the way a turtle-duck takes to the water," the beautiful woman laughed, pleased by her own analogy. Her son, however, was not quite so taken by the idea, his face sharp and pensive once more.

"If that's all," the younger Firebender finally pressed, heading towards the door, "I suppose I'll be taking my leave then. Goodnight, mother," Iroh called, as he made his way towards the exit.

"Oh, and Iroh?" her voice suddenly slid in once more, stopping the General in his tracks.

"Yes mother?"

"I never did punish you for your tardiness today, did I?" Firelord Ursa calmly commented, as Iroh felt his heart drop and dread sink in.

_Damn, I was so _sure _she'd forgotten...!_

"I'm quite sure waking up the _Avatar _for tomorrow would serve as a sufficient enough punishment, wouldn't you agree?"

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Korra sighed as she rolled around, blankets twisting around her body rather ungracefully as she continued to indulge herself on the luxury of slumber. The pillows... the fur and silk blankets... not to mention the high-quality mattress that the Avatar could feel herself practically _sink _into... Korra may not have been sure _where _she was or _when _she had reached such a place, but what she was absolutely certain of was that this was perhaps one of the best sleeps she had ever had in her whole life. Though of course she still felt terribly homesick for the snow and the faces of her family and Sifu Katara, the young woman couldn't help but sigh at how content she felt at the moment. Truly, she was in bliss.

Currently, she was dreaming she was back in the South Pole, this time with Naga happily playing by her side. It was terribly cold with the whole landscape submerged in snow and ice, but Korra loved it. She adored the refreshingly-icy bite of the wind against her cheeks and nose, and even the playful little otter-penguins all sliding around. When she was younger, she would spend a lot of her free-time whittling away the hours penguin-sledding, much to her teachers' dismay. Katara on the other hand would always seemed very fond of her when she did so though, and even Korra would notice on occasion the way her Sifu's eyes would go misty whenever the younger Waterbender would invite the older woman to come join her.

Her dream was going incredibly well so far: Naga chasing her as she ran around, Waterbending the oceans so that she could catch some fish for her canine companion. All of it generated a sense of warmth and nostalgia within the fiery Avatar as she sighed in her sleep once more, a large smile sloppily plastered onto her face. Everything in her dream was perfect. If given a choice, she wouldn't mind staying like this for the rest of her life.

_"Avatar..." _a voice suddenly drifted into her consciousness, as she gave a moan of protest, her dream now effectively shattered. _"Avatar Korra..."_

"Go away," Korra slurred in her sleep as she pouted cutely, stubbornly holding onto her pillow. "I'm sleeping..."

_"Avatar Korra," _the voice persisted once more, as Korra subconsciously scowled at the annoyance plaguing her. Really, couldn't she just have five more minutes? They'd already been rude enough, ruining the lovely little dream she was having. _"Avatar Korra, please..."_

The voice was vaguely familiar, but the bull-headed teen was too preoccupied to remember it as she adamantly resisted, much to the source of the disturbance's despair. "Leave me alone..." Korra whined, twisting in her sheets more and more, "... five more minutes... _hn._.."

Unexpectedly, Korra felt a sudden _warmth _make contact with her flesh as she gave a gasp of surprise, the voice now becoming more and more familiar to her as she recognized the surprisingly pleasant huskiness of the voice, tugging at her consciousness insistently.

"Avatar Korra... it's time to get up..."

_Why do I feel like I should know this voice...? _the Avatar wondered obliviously, as she gradually began to shake herself from her sleep. _And why am I suddenly so warm!? _

"... _hot._.." Korra complained childishly, much to the other person's utter confusion. Still, the source of warmth remained on her arm, distressing and yet slightly exciting the hot-headed teenager greatly. She didn't know why, but there was something about the heat now plaguing her that made her want _more _and _more. _Truthfully, it all seemed surprisingly _déjà vu _to her, but she failed to make the connection as she clung ever-tightly to her bed. All she knew was that right now she was tired, she was uncomfortably (not in an entirely bad way) hot, and there was an oddly pleasant voice calling out to her.

"Korra..." the voice now murmured into her ear, so close that she could practically _feel _the heat of their breath brushing her neck, sending a shudder down her spine. Mysteriously, Korra suddenly remembered a particular gold, a gold which reminded her of...

_Oh no._

"GENERAL IROH!" Korra yelped as she shot up instantly from beneath her sheets, only to hit her head against something _hard. _Alarmed, and her head pounding mercilessly away, Korra rubbed her throbbing head in pain only to see what exactly she had hit.

General Iroh of the United Forces was currently on the ground, his lip now cut and bleeding.

"Oh, _Spirits_!" Korra cried out in pure horror as she realised what she had done. She had head-butted the future _Firelord_ of all people, and had cut his lip in the process! Head still aching, Korra endured through the pain and the pure embarrassment as she leapt down from her bed and by the side of the injured Crown Prince, her heart hammering away from what she had done. Right now, she was pretty sure she was awkwardness personified.

"I am so sorry!" Korra apologized profusely, feeling superbly dismayed by the fact that this was not the first time she had greeted the General like this. Pushing her anxieties and shame aside, shakily Korra reached out her hands towards the groaning young man, trying to assess the situation. Other than a cut lip and some pain administered by _her_ no less, he seemed to be fine. Korra let out a breath of relief, her heart calming just a little. Now feeling just a little more at ease, gingerly Korra rested her hands in her lap as she watched the young man get up, rubbing his throbbing head whilst groaning rather unhappily. Even like this now, the two of them on the floor, both their heads aching and his lip bleeding, Korra couldn't help but look at him closely, regretting the decision as soon as she had decided upon it.

There he was, as handsome and as perfect as ever. However, this time, Korra felt as if she was exposed to a different side of him, viewing him in an entirely different light. Lips parted, the young Avatar couldn't help but notice the way his effortlessly-styled hair from the night before was now slightly messy, some of his dark hair now partially hanging around his eyes. Strangely, Korra found herself curiously enough fancying the way it looked, giving him a much more youthful appearance than she had witnessed previously. Like this, he looked to be around his early 20's at most. His uniform, whilst still impeccable, was in a slight state of disarray from the fall, further emphasizing his rather young age. The blood staining the corner of his lip made him seem almost wild, as if he were the type to seek trouble and revel in it. Though Korra found him handsome either way, she felt she much preferred this look (minus the blood). Iroh now looked so entirely youthful and far more relaxed, something which she couldn't help but laugh at, despite the reality of their situation.

"_Ugh_," Iroh managed to groan once the pain had finally begun to ebb away. "What are you laughing at?" he managed, his gold eyes piercing the amused girl questioningly.

Now _that _was a big mistake.

Wordlessly, whilst Korra made a huge fuss over getting some water to _"help with that cut"_, still struggling to maintain her laughter, the cool-under-fire General took a moment to take in the young woman right before him. She certainly looked far more comfortable and natural like this: hair down, no elaborate or fancy accessories, chest bound with bandages accompanied with some comfortable-looking pants... any other person, and they would have blushed at the way the young Avatar so liberally walked around exposing so much of her upper-half. However, Iroh was the type of person who could take on a wave of enemy threats and still not break a sweat. Henceforth, acting embarrassed by such a trivial thing was _not _an option for the honour-driven, prideful Firebender.

_Keep it together, Iroh._

"Here," Korra finally said, having shaken off her giggles to kneel down beside him once more, cup of water in hand. Iroh eyed the cup of water, already knowing where this was heading. "It's really not necessary," the young General began calmly, turning his head away from her slightly as he made a gesture to get up. "It's just a tiny cut; I've dealt with far, _far_ worse," he added, giving her a small, wry smile as a means to reassure her.

"Nonsense," Korra quickly reprimanded him, as she reached out to him, only to press him back to his original position by placing her hands on his shoulders. Though there was a light blush on her cheeks, she remained unshaken as she went to work. "I did this to you, so it's only right that I make up for it. Hold still," Korra instructed firmly, the cup long set aside, now Bending the water so that she now had an orb of the luminous liquid in her control. "Back in the Southern Water Tribe, Sifu Katara practically _drilled _it into me that I master healing," the teenager explained cheerfully whilst Iroh watched her calmly reach out a fingertip of water towards his lip. "It might sting a little, but rest assured I've been taught by the best!" Korra exclaimed confidently as Iroh felt a slight pain from where the cut was, only to be replaced by a soothing, pleasant sensation. Despite the pink on her cheeks, the rambunctious teenager remained professional all throughout, finally withdrawing her finger one she was sure she had done her job. Resting back on her knees once again, Korra smiled at her work. "There! All done!" she announced proudly, as Iroh remained wordless. "Now it's as if you never got cut in the first place!"

Speechlessly, Iroh reached up his fingers to brush against his lip, marveling at the fact that there was nothing there at all. Korra watched as he did so, feeling immensely pleased that she had been able to have been of service to him. Quietly, Iroh gave a smile of gratitude to her, making the younger Bender's heart beat indisputably once more. A fearless and undaunted man he may be, but the honour-bound General knew when to give credit when it was due. "Thank you, Avatar Korra," Iroh said to her sincerely, his gold eyes gleaming with gratitude towards her. "Your skills as a Bender truly are amazing."

Korra remained speechless for a moment, a dark blush remaining on her cheeks whilst a frustrated yet flattered expression settled itself upon her face. "You don't have to do that, you know..." Korra informed him, though not unkindly. "You can just call me Korra... and you don't have to be so formal around me..."

"Formal?" Iroh blinked. Surely, he was conducting himself just as he should around _the _Avatar?

"Yeah... all this_ 'Avatar Korra' _and whatever," Korra grumbled, as she started work on grooming her hair into its usual look. "You're not _that _much older than me," she continued, Iroh watching, transfixed at the way she tied her hair up so carelessly, "and I'm sick and tired of everyone always being so _polite _to me just because of my title. So you can just call me Korra. Got it?"

The General was slightly stunned for a moment at how blunt and straightforward she was. He felt a little envious at that moment, the way the Avatar, despite her position as possibly _the _most important person in the world, could so freely speak her mind without fear of consequence or retaliation. It was as if nothing could restrain her nor her spirit, like she was a force that none could dare contain or reckon.

Somehow, Iroh felt himself slightly wishing that he could be just a _little _like that.

"... alright," Iroh said after a while, Korra blinking in surprise at how easily he had agreed, "I'll call you 'Korra' if you refer to me just as 'Iroh'."

Korra nodded, as if contemplating the negotiation. Finally, she stood up, extending one hand out to the young General still sitting on the floor.

"Nice to meet you then, Iroh," the proud Water-tribe girl finally spoke, a warm smile set on her face as she gazed down at him, her blue eyes practically shimmering. Seeing the Avatar like this, like a mere _teenage girl _(minus the added-factor that she was also the reincarnation of the world's most powerful beings)_, _helped Iroh feel far more comfortable and at ease around her, so much to the point that he couldn't help but feel as if a barrier between the two of them had been broken. It seemed that, despite how briefly the two had known each other, they were getting along already swimmingly well. The young General couldn't help but feel hopeful for the future the two of them had together; as future Firelord and Avatar. To the man with the golden eyes, it seemed extraordinarily bright.

"And you too, Korra," he added, with a little tug at the corner of his lips that formed into a tidy smirk, Korra blushing at the sight of it. _There it is again, _Korra thought terribly, Iroh oblivious to the whirlwind of emotions within her. _That stupid _heat_! Control yourself, Korra! You just _met_ him! Aang and the others would _kill _you to see you like this! And Spirits forbid what would happen if _Kyoshi _saw you like this...! _Inwardly, Korra had to suppress a shudder before forcing herself back to reality. Clutching her hand in his own, the General had at last rose to his feet, golden eyes twinkling down into the shorter Bender's blue with a light in them Korra could not help but feel slightly dizzy from.

It seemed that gold was her new favourite colour.

"So," Iroh said, breaking Korra from her epiphany, his infectiously-deep, honeyed voice snatching her attention once more, "shall we go and join my mother for training? She's been pretty eager to have the two of us train with her, you know," he offered, as the young Avatar felt the heat on her cheeks burning like Agni knew no end. All sorts of questions ran through her mind: for example, what type of Firebender was Iroh, and how good was he? And most importantly, what he could teach her, and vice-versa? That thought alone was enough to distract Korra from any more-than-platonic ponderings as she switched into her usual overly-enthusiastic mood that often accompanied the prospect of Bending.

"Yeah!" Korra suddenly exclaimed enthusiastically, hand slipping out of the General's as she rushed in front of the door, a big, bright grin etched brilliantly on her face, lighting up the whole room. "Let's go do some Bending! Spirits, I hope Firelord Ursa doesn't make us do anymore hot squats," Korra complained, as Iroh could only nod at her sympathetically from past experiences, "my muscles were _killing _me from last time!"

"Hot squats?" Iroh decided to entertain her mischievously, a sudden playful fire set in his amber gaze. His mother wanted him to have more _fun_? Fine, he'd be "fun", starting with the easily riled-up Avatar before him. "Tell you what," Iroh started, Korra flinching at how rapidly the heat began to pool within her once more, just from the husky tone of his voice to the way he seemed to suddenly get _closer _to her, leaning down so that their eyes were level, "why don't we make a bet?" Iroh suggested ominously, Korra's curiosity piqued as she looked at him with mystified, confused eyes.

"A bet?" Korra repeated, her competitive spirit aroused. Everyone who was familiar with the loud-mouthed 17 year old _knew _she could not turn down a challenge when presented to her. Her pride was far too great to deter, a foolhardy, yet commendable trait. "What kind of bet?" Korra asked suspiciously, noting the General's sudden turn of playfulness.

"Training today," Iroh explained patiently, "you and me engage in a fake Agni Kai. Whoever wins," Iroh dropped dramatically, "walks away with both their honour intact, as well as the title of the Better Firebender. Whoever _loses_, however," the young General breathed, Korra feeling her heart stop,

"will have to complete _two hundred _hot squats before sunset," Iroh completed solemnly, Korra giving a gasp of indignation at the mere _idea _of it.

"_Two hundred_!?" Korra reiterated, utterly aghast. If fifty was enough to render her muscles as weak as a newborn baby's, what unimaginable disasters would _two hundred _unleash on her? Whilst the Avatar may be fitter than most, with her beautifully athletic form, as well as the fact that she could lift a _whole _family of Airbenders with no problem, it still didn't mean she was incapable of getting exhausted! However, looking at how playful the General had become, as well as the fact she took her status as _one of the greatest Benders _extremely seriously, the hot-headed Avatar knew there was _no _way she was going to back down. _Or lose this bet, _she thought determinedly.

"Aright then," Korra declared tenaciously, folding her arms in a move of resolution, "I'll _accept _your little challenge. But don't come crying to _me _or Mama Ursa when you're left out there doing your hot-squats under the sun, got it?" the Waterbender proclaimed rather cockily, her own big smirk set on her young face. Iroh didn't know whether to feel insulted or amused; somehow, the young Avatar before him had managed to successfully tread the delicate line between both arrogant and adorable, her "Mama Ursa" jab both immature yet cute. Voicing such a thing out loud though would be an offense to his honour as Crown Prince however, so Iroh remained silent on the matter, instead countering with his own teasing line.

"Whatever you say, _Korra," _Iroh murmured lowly, amused at the shorter Bender's sudden blush and widened eyes, yet unaware of the true reasoning behind it. "We'll see who _really _triumphs out there later... after all, I _was _named after the famed 'Dragon of the West'," he added, glad to see that the Avatar wasn't exactly ignorant to the weight behind such a name.

"Hmph, whatever," Korra finally managed after retaining her composure, arms still crossed and words fierce as a Wolfbat's bite, "see you out on the training grounds, then," she spoke rather heatedly, before marching out of the room with an air of deliberate indifference. Witnessing this spectacle, Iroh couldn't help but chuckle, a rare spectacle indeed for any in the Fire Palace to witness these days. The only times he really had a laugh nowadays was either in the company of noble girls during a party, or when he was having a drink with General Bumi.

The General had to hand it to her; truly, the Avatar was something different.

_But just because you're the Avatar, Korra, _Iroh thought, rubbing his chin thoughtfully for a moment in contemplation, _doesn't mean I'll let you win._

And with that, Iroh too marched himself out of the door, the young General's footsteps echoing the Avatar's purposeful own.

.

.

.

As soon as Korra had marched out of the room, she had proceeded to break into a mad sprint before finally stopping at another of the palace's winding corridors, her usually rigid body slumping bonelessly against the wall for support. The young Avatar felt as if she was going _mad_, her body refusing to co-operate with her thoughts as she let out a series of rugged pants, head spinning out of control.

_What is wrong with you?!_

At first it had seemed harmless enough, the subconscious stares, the innocent, fleeting thoughts of how handsome he looked, the incorrigible _heat _that would resurface every time he got to close or too near. Sure, it had hit her hard, how suddenly and randomly the feelings had come, but the strong-headed teenager had simply reassured herself for a while that it was _temporary, _and had simply manifested from the pure fact Korra was unused to the presence of strong, handsome, incredibly _flawless _men. She was a teenager, with hormones. Surely it would all blow over eventually, right?

But as Korra had come to realise over the span of the brief time (which was what shamed the teenager so) was that she _was _affected by Iroh, perhaps more so than she had initially feared. Every time she looked into those gold eyes, or heard his splendid voice, or simply got _too _close to him, that infernal _heat _would return, troubling the Avatar far more than it should. How could she befriend the General, if the only thing he would do was elicit that stupid heat within her? She hated the reaction! _You are _not _some boy-crazy fangirl, _Korra repeated over and over to herself like a mantra, still slumped against the corridor wall, _you are the _Avatar, _damn it! Think of Kyoshi, think of Kyoshi, think of Kyoshi...! _she inwardly screamed, trying to dissuade the heat within her from the constant reminder that her fearsome predecessor would probably _gut _her right now for how foolish she was being. Really, this was ridiculous! How could _she _possibly be the Avatar if she couldn't even get through _this_?

_Okay, Korra... _Korra finally told herself resolutely, steeling her blue eyes and purposefully denying the beating of her chest, _you are the _Avatar. _So there is no need for these stupid feelings all because of Iroh, _she told herself calmly, as if she were meditating on the words to bring her inner-peace. _If you can bend all the elements... well, _almost _all the elements, _she thought begrudgingly, thinking of Airbending in particular, _then you can get a hold on your feelings. That _heat _is just because... I'm in the Fire Nation! That's it!_ she suddenly realised, as if she had reached some mind-blowing conclusion._ I'm in the _Fire Nation, _so it's only _natural _I feel much _hotter_, right? Yeah, that's totally it! What a relief! _Korra told herself cheerfully, ignoring all common sense at this point, before confidently marching her way to the training grounds, steps lighter yet soul not exactly convinced. All she knew was that for now, Iroh and the heat he would bring were _ definitely, _without a doubt, _not _on her mind.

Or so she hoped.

That's why it was _such _a shame for Korra to realise as soon as she had stepped on the training field...

... that the General would be training _alongside _her,

completely,

entirely,

undeniably,

and utterly

_shirtless._


End file.
